The present invention relates to an electronic component mounting apparatus and method for mounting electronic components on boards to thereby produce electronic circuit boards, and more particularly, to an electronic component mounting apparatus equipped with an exchange device for exchanging support blocks which support the boards, and an electronic component mounting method of exchanging support blocks supporting the boards.
A conventional system will be described with reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B.
FIGS. 5A and 5B are enlarged sectional views of an essential portion of a support block in a conventional electronic component mounting apparatus. In FIGS. 5A and 5B, a board 14 to which electronic components, etc. are mounted is positioned at a predetermined position over a support block 16 by a transfer belt device 15. The support block 16 is then raised and the board 14 is held on support pins 17 provided in the support block 16. After this, electronic components, etc. are mounted to the board 14.
Setting positions of the support pins in the support block are selected depending on the desired characteristics of rear faces of boards to be produced. In switching the kind of boards in the conventional mounting apparatus, therefore, the support blocks should be changed in accordance with the desired characteristics of the rear faces of the boards, which requires additional processing time. In the case where the volume of production is relatively low and there are a wide variety of kinds of products, namely, boards to be made, this exchange of support blocks inconveniently deteriorates the productivity.